Gemotions

The clinking of glasses and the chatter of the guests faded into a dull roar in Leo's ears. He felt a throbbing sensation behind his eyes. He’d thought he was past the pain, that time had healed the wounds. He'd been wrong. Terribly wrong. He took a swig of his beer, the bitterness doing nothing to soothe his frayed nerves.

He watched her from the shadows, a ghost of her presence haunting every corner. Every interaction, every laugh, felt like a personal attack, a reminder of what he had lost. He knew he should approach her, make small talk, act like it all meant nothing, but his limbs felt heavy, his tongue tied.

He saw her across the room talking to a man. He didn't recognize him, but it didn't matter. The sight of her smiling at someone else was a fresh stab of pain.